Warning: Intended for audiences over the age of 18. There is explicit language.

Camela Thompson and Z.D. Gladstone are joined by Carly to discuss Death Note. This anime series features the Shinigami, an eccentric genius, and a crazed megalomaniac intent on becoming a god of vengeance. We not only look at the mythology behind the series, but delve into where it began and some of its offshoots.

Camela Thompson and Z.D. Gladstone discuss Hellsing Ultimate, a Japanese animation series with virgin vampires, rogue Nazis, and zealot Catholic armies. In the tradition of anime, the characters have dramatic and involved backstories. The heroes are flawed, the villains are plentiful, and everyone has a shootout. The mythology strikes close to Bram Stoker's Dracula with some very unique twists and turns. Both podcast cohosts had a hard time recalling any other movie, television series, or book with such an epic body count.

In this episode, we delve into Vampire Knight, teen angst, anime, and the taboo that lurks behind many vampire relationships.

Introduction to Vampire Knight:
Vampire Knight is based on a shōjo manga series written by Matsuri Hino, first published in 2005. Studio Dean produced the anime adaptation of the series, using many of the same voice actors featured in the drama cds. The show follows Yuki Cross, a teenage girl and a guardian who strives to keep vampires secret from the humans. Yuki's first memory is of a blood stained field of snow where Kaname Kuran, a Pureblood vampire, saved her from an "evil vampire." A vampire-hunter-turned-school-headmaster adopted Yuki, and later Zero Kiryu, a young boy from a family of vampire hunters. The show is set in an eclectic boarding school, designed by vampire Kaname Kuran and Kaien Cross (vampire hunter/adoptive father).

Introduction to the show mythology:
A horrible catastrophe struck the world and vampires crawled forth from the wreckage.

Vampires biologically descended from the original vampires are known as the Pureblood vampires. These Pureblood vampires have their own special power plus the ability to control lesser vampires. They can put their original body into stasis and inhabit younger, willing bodies. In order to keep their bloodlines pure, Purebloods often marry siblings. It’s not considered taboo in their culture, although killing other Purebloods is taboo. Killing another Pureblood allows the Pureblood killer to absorb their powers and is very addictive, so they have dealt with the issue by making it socially unacceptable.

Aristocrat vampires are born vampire but are not "pure" and have human "contamination" in their lineage. Humans can be converted into a vampire through a Pureblood vampire's bite, but will degenerate until they are a Level E or "The End." A Level E vampire reverts to only the basest of instincts and retains zero humanity. The only way to avoid becoming a Level E is to consume the blood of their Pureblood maker.

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